Archives for 2015

We have a lot of great items available for our silent auction on December 5th in Chattanooga! Check back often to find out about even more items! If you haven’t bought tickets for the Christmas Party, get yours today!

ET Davis and Sara Keys recently shared information on recreational caving and conservation with Ranger Nick on the Georgia Farm Monitor show. The show will air Nov 22 at 11pm and Nov 26 at 6pm on RFD-TV (DISH 231 and DirecTV 345) or you can watch it here. Big thanks to the Fricks Cave Preserve Management Team for making this happen.

SCCi is happy to announce the 3rd Annual Christmas Party will be held December 5th, 2015 at The Chattanoogan Hotel in Chattanooga, TN. Past years have been a great time to visit with other cavers, celebrate SCCi’s accomplishments and take home some great made-by-caver crafts at the silent auction.

Buddy Lane will give a presentation on the discovery, exploration and history of caving at Run To The Mill Cave.

Tickets are $40 and includes dinner. Cash bar available. Space is limited so make your reservations today.

The SCCi, in cooperation with the Huntsville Grotto, is proud to announce Mark Ostrander as the 2015 John Van Swearingen IV Stewardship Award!

Mark is known for his service to the sport of caving and conservation of cave preserves. He has served as the SCCi Kennamer Cave Preserve manager for six years. From maintaining the parking area to marking preserve boundaries, Mark’s service knows no season. Mark is a truly an ambassador for the Kennamer Cave Preserve working with caving groups to make the most of their trips. He is currently working with first responders to use Kennamer Cave for a mock cave rescue while ensuring the preserve is protected from any lasting damage. Also, Mark has led and attended cave cleanup projects over the years including Kennamer Cave, Devil’s Den and Cathedral Caverns.

The John Van Swearingen Stewardship Award was conceived by the Huntsville Grotto in honor of long-time member, conservationist, cave steward, and SCCi Director, JV, who passed away in 2001. It is presented annually at the TAG Fall Cave In. JV served for many years as the Fern Cave Access Coordinator, providing stewardship of the Fern Cave system and preserve for both the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the SCCi.

The purpose of the award is to meaningfully recognize the stewardship efforts of an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization that has provided significant stewardship activities for one or more caves, cave preserves, or karst properties, personally conducted over an extended period of time. The award, sponsored by the Huntsville Grotto and the SCCi, is also intended to promote long-term cave conservation and stewardship activities, and to encourage and thank those individuals and organizations who perform them.